Wallowas (or other ideas) 1st week of July

[Fishinak]

Hi all
Thank you for all the advice on my last post, regarding the Timberline trail.

As suggested, I am going to wait until a bit later to make a decision on which trail to tackle durin out first week of July trip. In the meantime I am trying to compile a few option that likely won't be derailed by snow conditions.

I'd love any suggestions for a 30-45 mi 3-5 day trip!

Eagle Cap and the Wallowas look awesome. Especially the Wallowa River loop. As I understand the Snotel website, it looks like below avg snow pack around the Wallowas. Is that right?

Do you think hikes in these mountains would be doable early July?

Thanks SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND ADVICE!

[retired jerry]

The Elkhorn Crest is near the Wallowas, out of Baker. Supposedly just about as nice as the Wallowas but accessible earlier in the season. I've just heard about it.

[drm]

No, the snow water equivalent in NE Oregon is 147% of normal according to this. Wallowa passes typically open in mid-to-late July so early July is pushing it and unlikely. I think your best bet is to go to Olympic National Park. The Olympics are at 122% of normal (based on all of two snotels) but there are low passes there that have a better chance of opening early.

[Bosterson]

There's lower elevation stuff around the periphery of the Wallowas, but you may hit substantial snow if you get up into the main alpine destinations. Probably tough to make a loop of that distance in the low country, and the main valleys would just be like 1-2 day out and backs. If your dates aren't set, try it in mid-late August and it should be fine; the Wallowas are amazing and definitely worth visiting. You can monkey with crowds in the Lakes Basin, but I would recommend making up a loop in the West/Main Eagle areas, or Cornucopia. If you need to see the lakes, you can do a Lostine/Minam loop of some kind, or a West/East Fork Wallowa River loop. It's pretty easy to put together a DIY loop just by looking at the map.

[justpeachy]

Maybe the Trinity Alps in California might be a good option in early July. I've never been there myself, but every year I see trip reports from that area earlier than other mountainous hiking areas.

[retired jerry]

I've been doing Trinity Alps in June the last few years, likely snow free. Although some snow at highest elevations.

[drm]

Not this year. Nor Calif is the epicenter of heavy snow this year. Northern Sierra / Trinty Alps are at 187% of normal as of May 10. I didn't see any stats for Trinity Alps alone.

[CampinCarl]

I'll throw a few more suggestions in:

Rogue River Trail (40 miles one way) (shuttle or out and back option)

https://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recrea ... il-map.pdf

Wild Rogue Loop (25 miles)

http://www.wildscenicrogue.com/trails/wild-rogue-loop/

Illinois River trail (28 miles one way) (out and back option)

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/rogue-s ... ecid=70554

Possibly Kalmiopsis Wildnerness - tougher navigation and water- check Siskiyou Mountain Club Facebook for recent photos from Babyfoot lake (elevation 3950) - mostly snow-free.

[retired jerry]

according to https://www.fs.fed.us/r5/webmaps/Sierra ... lon=-121.7

Gibson Meadows is on the edge of where the snow is, that's about 6000 feet

Some time in June it should be accessible : )

I was in the Trinity Alps a couple years ago, coming down from Deer Lake and DRM walked by the other direction

[drm]

I was in the Trinity Alps a couple years ago, coming down from Deer Lake and DRM walked by the other direction

And you looked like you were going to collapse in the heat.

In my experience, the Shasta Trinity NF has some of the most hiker-friendly staff I've talked to in a national forest. I think after Memorial Day, a call to the office in Weaverville will probably provide good info about snow coditions there.